Despite downed tree, show must go on in Snow Camp

Published: Monday, July 1, 2013 at 05:50 PM.

SNOW CAMP – A major set piece at the Snow Camp Outdoor Theatre took a hit during a Sunday evening storm, but the show – make that shows – must go on.

The casts and crews of the historical dramas, “The Sword of Peace,” and “Pathway to Freedom,” were all set to begin their 40th and 20th production seasons, respectively, when ongoing squalls knocked a tree into the midst of things.

The roof and walls of the building portrayed as the Cane Creek Meeting House in “The Sword of Peace,” and as a schoolhouse in “Pathway to Freedom” were damaged Sunday, said Chelsey Wilson, the theatre’s operational manager.

“We were in rehearsal until 5 (p.m.),” she said. Luckily, “No one was around when it fell.”

James Wilson, general manager and producer, said, “They found it around 6 (p.m.) when they came back from dinner break.”

Chelsey Wilson said when she heard about the downed tree, “My heart stopped,” because she thought the tree that fell was the large cedar behind the meeting house building.

The cedar’s still standing, but the tree that did fall caused plenty of damage.

SNOW CAMP – A major set piece at the Snow Camp Outdoor Theatre took a hit during a Sunday evening storm, but the show – make that shows – must go on.

The casts and crews of the historical dramas, “The Sword of Peace,” and “Pathway to Freedom,” were all set to begin their 40th and 20th production seasons, respectively, when ongoing squalls knocked a tree into the midst of things.

The roof and walls of the building portrayed as the Cane Creek Meeting House in “The Sword of Peace,” and as a schoolhouse in “Pathway to Freedom” were damaged Sunday, said Chelsey Wilson, the theatre’s operational manager.

“We were in rehearsal until 5 (p.m.),” she said. Luckily, “No one was around when it fell.”

James Wilson, general manager and producer, said, “They found it around 6 (p.m.) when they came back from dinner break.”

Chelsey Wilson said when she heard about the downed tree, “My heart stopped,” because she thought the tree that fell was the large cedar behind the meeting house building.

The cedar’s still standing, but the tree that did fall caused plenty of damage.

James Wilson said the building’s rafters and some of its walls have been stripped, and replacement lumber will cost between $500 and $600.

Chelsey Wilson said the Randy Brown Tree Service donated its time and resources to remove the portion of tree that fell on the building, after seeing the destroyed building on local television news.

“It kind of broke in half, somehow,” she said. “Now the bottom half is left.”

“We open in two days,” said James Wilson on Monday. “We’ve got to have dress rehearsals.”

“We rebuilt the wall that the tree collapsed on,” Chelsey Wilson said. “The roof, we’ll have to wait and do in the fall.”

James Wilson said the building’s walls will have to be ready by Tuesday, since dress rehearsals begin Wednesday, and the shows must go on.

“The Sword of Peace” opens Thursday and “Pathway to Freedom” opens Friday. Alamance County residents receive 40 percent off regular-priced adult tickets on opening night of “The Sword of Peace,” and 20 percent off regular-priced adult tickets on opening night of “Pathway to Freedom,” to celebrate the shows’ seasons.